Background: Our Complete Maths Curriculum
TUTOR consists of hyper-targeted maths tuition which is informed by decades of research into what helps pupils learn.The maths universe on TUTOR is divided into 1,800 pieces of maths learning, beginning with counting and finishing with calculus. Each of these 1,800 pieces has been put in order so that, when a child begins a new topic, they already have in place all the knowledge they will need to understand it. We call this our ‘Complete Maths Curriculum’.
What is the Diagnostics assessment, and how does it work?
The Diagnostics assessment is TUTOR’s way of finding the best starting point for your child in our curriculum. The assessment starts with questions from the very beginning of the curriculum, and becomes progressively more difficult as TUTOR tries to find the first point at which your child isn’t confident in the maths they are being tested on.
The Diagnostic is split into individual quizzes covering the key mathematical concepts with five questions per quiz, or concept. If necessary, your child can pause the Diagnostic at the end of one of the quizzes and return to complete the assessment at another time. When the gap in understanding is reached, TUTOR recommends a Course which is most suited to their individual level. Allowing them to focus on the mathematical goals that are most relevant to them, plugging existing knowledge gaps, building a solid foundation of mathematical understanding, and moving through new content at the optimal pace.
These are the steps to complete the Diagnostic:
When your child logs into TUTOR they'll land on their Dashboard.
Under the 'My Courses' title is the Diagnostics section (it's pink!).
Click 'Start Diagnostics' to begin the assessment.
Once TUTOR has sufficient evidence about the mathematical level of your child, a Course individualised to their learning needs will be recommended in the Diagnostics section.
Click on 'Add Course' to add this to 'My Courses'.
Click 'Start Course' to begin working through the goals contained in the course.
What happens next?
The Diagnostics process doesn't end there! Once a recommended Course has been completed, it will recommend the appropriate next Course, guiding your child through their own personal mathematics learning journey, step-by-step.
FAQs
When should my child take the Diagnostic?
We encourage every child to take the Diagnostic before they do anything else on TUTOR. It is important that they begin their learning journey at the most appropriate point, ensuring that they can work on higher level concepts with a secure base of knowledge.
How long will Diagnostics take to recommend a Course?
75% of pupils are recommended a Course within 7 diagnostic quizzes. However, this will vary from child to child based on their performance.
How can I ensure the Diagnostics results are accurate?
Help your child create a quiet space to work in, with no distractions. We recommend that they use a pen and paper for their workings out, before they select an answer on screen. They should double-check their answers before submitting them, as they won’t be able to go back and check or change answers later.
What are Courses, Stages, Parts, Ideas and Goals?
A Course consists of Stages, Parts, Ideas and Goals. Stages in TUTOR are not the same as academic years, or Key Stages, at school. Stages represent the order in which our curriculum covers each mathematical idea. Each Stage is divided into six Parts, each Part is divided into a number of Ideas and each Idea is divided into a number of Goals. Goals on TUTOR are the smallest element of learning. We recommend that children study them in order, so that they are always ready for the maths coming up next.
My child says the work is too easy. Are they on the wrong Course?
Not necessarily. The Diagnostic will always recommend a Course based on the point at which your child started giving wrong answers. The Course they are recommended might start with maths they already feel confident in, but it is important they cover it so that by the time they reach the point at which they began making mistakes, they can be sure they have mastered all of the required knowledge.
Should my child redo the Diagnostic?
If you think your child has been assigned the wrong Course because they accidentally clicked the wrong answer while taking the Diagnostic, then do have them redo the assessment. They should select ‘Reset Diagnostics’ on their dashboard. Remind them to make sure that when they do so, they take their time, read the questions closely, and are careful to select the correct answer on screen.
If you think your child didn’t click the wrong answer, we would encourage them to continue with the originally assigned Course. Many pupils have been in this same position, but then quickly discovered that the learning becomes challenging rather quickly.
How do I know which Course my child is supposed to be completing?
The Diagnostic will recommend a Course specific to your child’s individual learning needs. Once your child has ‘added’ the recommended course, it appears under their ‘My Courses’ section. We strongly recommend that your child follows the Course, working through each Stage, Part, Idea and Goal in order.
When you log into your account you are able to see the Course they are working on, and their progress through it, by clicking on ‘Virtual Display’ from the left-hand menu on your homepage.
My child has a TUTOR account through their school, how do I know which Course they are supposed to be completing?
If your child already has a TUTOR account through their school, then it is likely their teacher will have assigned them a Course, or asked them to complete the Course recommended by the Diagnostic. In the 'My Courses' section of the Virtual Display, a Course outlined in blue, with a blue progress bar and a small mortarboard icon in the top right, has been assigned by their teacher. A Course assigned by the Diagnostic, has no colour and the progress bar is green. Some children decide to complete the Diagnostic-assigned Course as well as the Course assigned by their teacher. More power to them, we say!
Is there the option for my child to enrol in a specific Course?
Yes. Your child can enrol on a range of our other Courses which are aligned to a particular ‘Topic' or 'Target'. Some children choose one of these Courses, along with their Diagnostic-assigned Course, when they want immediate support on a particular concept that they are struggling with at school. If your child does select an individual Course, it is important that they complete the ‘Readiness’ step at the beginning of each Goal. This will check that they have all the required knowledge in place before beginning something new.